Berlin Day 6 - 8/29...a day of rest?

hmmmm...not really.

The day started out quite academic.  I rushed myself to a lecture at 11am on "the state of human rights".  I won't bore you with the details, but all that thinking made me tired, so by 2pm I was back in my bed resting my eyes.  I browsed around in my travel books to construct a plan of Berlin for Marc's three days here (an impossible task, I'm afraid) and I came across "what to do in Berlin on a Sunday."  Why hadn't I seen this before!  There is a Flea Market every Sunday til 5pm in an area which I hadn't yet explored, Prenzlauar Berg.  I looked at the clock; it was 3:30.  I leapt out of bed, put on my tennies, grabbed my bag and was off.

Many of you have traveled and seen flea markets, but I never have.  Arts and crafts fairs...yes.  Saturday farmers market...yes.  Garage sales...yes.  But this was an entire block that fused all three experiences into one (and when I say block I mean a mile of tents, four rows deep).  I saw really cute handmade jewelry and clothes.  I saw food tents selling tastes from all cultures.  But mostly, I saw alot of people's junk.  Piles of clothes, used tools, housewares, but my favorite were the old pictures.  Amazing pictures from many decades past in photo albums for sale!  If I'd found one with pictures of Berlin, I would have bought it.

As I was leaving the flea market (a few euros lighter) I marveled at the park across the street.  This neighborhood is really the most livable that I've seen here in Berlin.  Everyone was out enjoying themselves with their friends and family.  New parents walked around with strollers, an old wizardly-looking man created huge bubbles for the children to play with, one group of friends had a pillow fight (thats right), and of course people drank their beers and chatted on park benches.  I heard applause coming from a distance and wondered if there was a concert.  It sounded like a large group of people, so I followed the sound and came upon an outdoor amphitheater filled with at least 1000 people (possibly 2000).  I was anxious to find out what band they were watching, but as I looked onstage I realized this wasn't a band at all...it was karaoke!!!!!

OMG!!  Of all the performances that I've seen this week, this was the most fun.  Not artful in any way, but I haven't laughed out loud like that since I've been here.    I heard a man sing "My Way" in a choppy German accent,  a Norwegian man sing a Beyonce hit (that was hilarious), a Brazilian man sing "American Woman" (I was dying of laughter), and finally an Italian girl sang "We are the World" (How appropriate and cohesive...I nearly shed a tear).  It was lovely! 

I later saw a dance performance reminding me that not all dance is great...but I did enjoy the outfit that I wore to the show, I felt very fashionably European.  I also thought I'd mention that I've stopped trying to speak any German except to say "Danke".  Life works much better this way.

Much love,

Alicia